


What You Don't Believe

by Blue_Night



Series: The Pegasus Alliance [21]
Category: Stargate - All Media Types, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, Ghosts of the Past - Freeform, Goa'uld (Stargate), Healing, Hives, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentioning of Torture and Abuse, Mistrust, Mystery, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Secrets, Starting Anew, Team Dynamics, mentioning of experiments, painful memories, winning trust
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-05-02 04:51:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14537031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Night/pseuds/Blue_Night
Summary: Major Robert Lewy is about to be thrown out of the Stargate program because of another off-world-mission that has gone wrong and his regular 'disobedience' regarding the orders he's gotten from General Landry and the bosses of the IOA when he's summoned to General Landry's office. To his surprise, it is not General Landry waiting there for him, but General O'Neill and the most famous colonel of two galaxies, offering him the chance to start the biggest adventure of his life.Will Robert join the Atlantis expedition and will he find there what he has been searching for for so long without even knowing what it is?This part of the series starts a couple of weeks after the last chapter ofWhat You Don't Fear.





	1. An unexpected Offer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Janie94](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Janie94/gifts), [GoForGoals](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoForGoals/gifts), [mariothellama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariothellama/gifts).



> For my three dearest friends and fellow writers. <33
> 
> My dearest Janie94,  
> I can't give you Müllendowski the way you're used to it for some reasons you know, but I can promise you that this story will get close to it. You don't need to know the other parts of this series to follow this one along, and I will do my best to describe and explain everything in a way that you can enjoy this story. :-* I really hope that you will like and enjoy reading this new version of Müllendowski.
> 
> My dearest GoForGoals,  
> I'm still so happy that you liked your special Durmeus so much. You asked for the sequel and learning more about the fate of Number 25, this part will tell you his story. I hope that you will like it, I promise that Erik and Marciano will show up here too. ;-*
> 
> My dearest mariothellama,  
> I'm so happy that you like my mighty Wraith and their human consorts so much. I thought that you might appreciate some special Müllendowski moments in this universe, Robert truly makes for an awesome major. I hope that Thomas will make for a proper Wraith as well. ;-)
> 
> My dear readers,  
> some of you asked for a new part of this series, and I really wanted to tell the story of Number 25 too. I will change between the stories of this series and _**Life in Pegasus**_ depending on how the muse kisses me, the plot for this story is already worked out, we'll see how many chapters it will get. Please continue to gift me with your wonderful feedback, each kudo, comment and bookmark encourages me to write and post more for you, so please don't be silent readers!!  <33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert is summoned to General Landry's office, but it's not General Landry who is waiting there for him...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I must admit that I had lots of fun writing Robert like this, I think that he fits perfectly in this special universe. :-)

Robert didn't bother to check his appearance in the mirror before he left his quarters, because it would be pointless anyway. General Landry and the parodies of IOA bosses wouldn't change their minds about him just because his uniform happened to be clean and without creases for once, his last off-world mission proving their biased opinion about him to be right.

Mister Arrow was the only exception from this rule, but even he wouldn't be able to save Robert's ass this time, not after what Robert had done. He'd given up hope to get through to his narrow-minded superior and  his even more narrow-minded friends from the IOA a long time ago, but he regretted that he would have to abandon his men when they sent him away. The members of his team, SG-9, were all good men, and they really deserved better than having to risk their lives for stupid orders given by people who thought themselves to be clever and omniscient, but who actually didn't have the slightest clue about how things off-world truly worked.

The young major with the black hair and the piercing blue eyes entered the elevator that would bring him to General Landry's office, ignoring the curious glances and the murmured greeting of the two sergeants using the lift as well.

Robert only nodded briefly at them as he pressed the button to the level where Landry's office was, turning his back at the younger men. They didn't belong to his team and didn't know him at all, but they obviously felt entitled to judge him because of the things they'd heard about him in the long corridors of the Cheyenne Mountain complex.

Robert had gotten used to the glances and the murmur behind his back, and he'd reached true mastery in schooling his features into the arrogant mask that would keep nosy people from asking questions he didn't want to answer. He hadn't had many friends when he'd joined the Stargate program, and the few he'd had hadn't known how to deal with him after 'the incident', finding excuses whenever Robert had wanted to spend time with them and have something resembling to a normal social life.

He'd stopped asking them for dates after the fifth or sixth polite refusal.

The _'pling-pling'_ of the lift announcing the right level rang unnaturally loud through the heavy silence that had fallen over the lift, and Robert exited the elevator without any other word, turning to the left to stride along the long corridor. More furtive glances and murmur followed him, and Robert unconsciously accelerated his steps until he was almost running. He stopped before the door, drawing in a deep breath and straightening his shoulders. He lifted his arm to knock at the door, but his hand stilled midway, and Robert stared at his fingers with something akin to surprise when he noticed their trembling.

He'd really thought that he'd made his peace with being thrown out of the Stargate program today, but the trembling and the sudden lump tightening his throat told him that he had been wrong with that. There was a small dark stain on the left sleeve of his uniform as he noticed, but it was too late to go back to his quarters and change again.

Not that he would actually have wanted to do that for a superior who'd refused to actually listen to him whenever Robert had tried to talk to him – like in really talk to him. Landry had always only stared at him with narrowed eyes, telling him strictly that he didn't believe him any word, and that he should finally stop trying to find excuses for his disobedience and weasel out of his responsibility.

Robert had stopped believing that Landry would ever want to see the truth.

Major Robert Lewy took another deep breath and finally knocked at the door to General Landry's office, putting on his usual arrogant mask and ignoring the hammering of his heart, hoping that the older officer wouldn't notice the sweat on his palms and how loud his heart was beating.

 

\--------------------------------------

 

The muffled “Come in!” sounded different from Landry's usual voice, and Robert frowned but opened the door, coming to an abrupt halt on the threshold as if he'd run against an invisible wall.

“Ah, Major Lewy! You're punctual for once. What a nice change. Come in and close the door.” General O'Neill smiled at him, and Robert's gaze flickered around as he searched for the other general. Landry was nowhere in sight though, and O'Neill sat behind Landry's desk as if he felt perfectly at home there.

What he probably did considering that this office had once been General O'Neill's office before he had left Cheyenne Mountain to live and work in Washington. General Landry was nowhere to be seen, but there was another man leaning against the wall behind the desk. Robert had never met him personally, but he had seen pictures of him, and the young major felt a strange tingling in his stomach all of a sudden when the other man looked at him, his handsome face giving nothing away of his thoughts.

“I'm always punctual, General!” Robert now said instead of the proper greeting that would have been due and appropriate, the imputation that he didn't take his work serious and wasn't punctual to meetings angering him pretty much.

O'Neill raised one of his eyebrows, but the smile stayed on his face. “Is that so? Hmm, I was told otherwise, Major.”

“Then you have been told lies, General O'Neill.” Robert wasn't willing to take the blame for this.

There were a lot of things he was guilty of, but being tardy wasn't one of them. Robert wasn't the kind of guy putting the blame for the things he'd done on others, and he was the first one to take over responsibility for the actions of his team members and charges to spare them if he could, but his strong sense of honor and his defiance didn't leave him any other chance than to defend himself in this matter.

O'Neill looked thoughtfully. “I see. I'm willing to believe you here, Major.”

Robert swallowed. “Thank you, sir.”

O'Neill gestured invitingly to the chair before his desk. “I'm too old to crane my head like that for longer than a few minutes. Have a seat, Major Lewy. I must admit that I am very curious about your version of your last mission report. It will most likely be rather different from the version I was told when I came here then as well.”

Robert slumped down on the chair without his usual natural grace, licking over his dry lips. His blue eyes darted to the man standing behind O'Neill again, and the older one returned his gaze calmly, his lips twitching ever so slightly as he looked at him with a straight face - whether it was because he despised Robert like all the others or because he had to suppress a smile was hard to tell.

“I've written my report right after my return, General. It must be in my file.”

O'Neil pursed his lips. “It is indeed, Major Lewy. I was pleased to see that you're one of those team leaders actually writing reports without needing to be reminded of your duties on a regular basis or leaving that to your underlings.” O'Neill's eyes darted to the man standing behind him for a split second, and this time the twitching of the lips definitely indicated a hidden smile. O'Neill let out a snort but just continued to speak. “Unfortunately, you only listed the hard facts – without adding some explanations why things went down like that. I'd like to hear those explanations as well.”

“I didn't add any explanations because it wouldn't have changed anything if I'd done that.” Robert's back and shoulders hurt from sitting so straight in his chair, and his palms stung where his nails were digging into the soft flesh.

O'Neill's eyebrow traveled upwards again. “I do believe that you giving us at least some insight in your reasons why you put a bomb where you did would matter here, Major. We're talking about an exploded Stargate and a lost chance to ally with another planet after all. A planet with rich naquadah mines above all things if I'm allowed to point out that not so unimportant fact. I don't think that the Sittary will welcome us with friendliness when we're trying to contact them again with one of our ships.”

Robert stared down at his balled fists in his lap for a moment. “General Landry and Mr. Ballerman from the IOA made perfectly clear that they weren't interested in my reasons but only in the crude facts, sir. I gave them what they wanted.”

“I see,” O'Neill repeated with an irritated undertone audible in his voice. “Neither General Landry, nor Mr. Ballerman have ever been on off-world missions like you and me, Major Lewy. They look at such things in a different way than I do. I'd prefer it if you told me what really happened on Sittaria freely and willingly, but I will make it an order if I have to do that. You can either tell me what happened here and now, or you will write another report and get another note about continued disobedience in your file.”

Robert lifted his chin up, his deep blue eyes sparkling in defiance. The strangled sound coming from the man leaning comfortably against the wall could only be a suppressed laugh, and Robert pressed his lips to a thin line, because he didn't deserve to be mocked.

The expression on the handsome features of the older man with the three-days stubble changed, and he spoke up for the first time since Robert had entered the office. “You'll better tell him what he wants to hear, Major. General O'Neill can be pretty persistent and persuasive, you won't win this fight, believe me. In the end, he'll get what he wants to have anyway. Besides, you can talk openly to him, he's not like Landry and all the other pigheads from the IOA, Richard and Mr. Arrow excluded."

O'Neill gifted the younger man with a stern look, but this apparently didn't impress him at all - because he only glanced down at the general with a lopsided grin until O'Neill's expression softened and he smiled back with an exasperated shake of his head. Then, the general shifted his attention back to Robert, looking expectantly at him.

Robert knew when he was defeated, and he cleared his throat and balled his fists even tighter. “The Sittary weren't what they seemed to be. They acted 'normal' and polite, but I could sense it when they brought me and my team to their city. I have no proof of my suspicion, no glowing eyes or changing voices, but they were Goa'ulds – all of them. They'd only been waiting for such a chance, and they were planning on infiltrating Earth, I know that for sure. The only way of keeping them from doing that was to play their game, appear to be ignorant of their true nature and destroy their Stargate before they would know our gate address.  
That was their most pressuring concern, they were only interested in gate addresses – especially the address to Earth. So I played along, gathered my team in the night and escaped their city – even though our quarters were more luxurious prison cells than real quarters. They came after us, and I overheard a conversation that they were working on a solution to destroy our shield and come through the Stargate by force, so I decided that putting a bomb right before their own gate and activate the detonator when we'd have made it back through our gate was the only way to protect Earth from their attack.”

There was a long silence, both men regarding Robert thoughtfully as they considered his words. Landry and Ballerman hadn't been interested in Robert's reasons, they had made that clear right after his return. They hadn't wanted to believe him that the Sittary were actually Goa'ulds, telling him that the Sittary would have known how to use their Stargate if they were possessed by these ugly creatures. Robert knew that there were planets where Goa'ulds lived in lakes and other waters without human hosts, and there might be other worlds Earth didn't know about with Goa'ulds that weren't as intelligent as others of their kind were.

A terrible earthquake had destroyed Sittaria almost two hundred years ago, and the survivors of the Sittary had only recently rediscovered the dialing console belonging to their Stargate under a large stony rubble near the naquadah mines. The records with the addresses the Sittary had possessed had been destroyed back then as well, therefore they hadn't been able to dial out until Robert and his team had come to their planet.

“Are you sure that the Sittary are Goa'ulds? All of them, I mean?” General O'Neill finally asked quietly, and Robert nodded his head, gritting his teeth so hard that they made a crunching noise.

“Yes, I am. I of all people must know it.”

“Very well, I believe you, Major. You actually did the right thing then.”

“Thank you, sir. But General Landry and Mr. Ballerman wouldn't agree with you.”

O'Neill chuckled. “It's a good thing that I don't need them to agree with me, then. I only need him to agree with me,” the white-haired general jerked his head at the other USAF officer, “and I'm pretty sure that he will. It's not that he wouldn't have been in your place more often than I can actually count,” O'Neill drawled, and the younger one chuckled as well.

“And every time I was, it earned me either a promotion or another decoration, so it can't have been too bad, actually.”

“Indeed.” The two so different men smiled at each other with real fondness. Robert felt melancholy at the sight, longing for something he couldn't really grasp.

“Well.” O'Neill turned back to Robert. “You might have asked yourself what he's doing here already.”

Robert nodded, and O'Neill gestured at the other man to speak up. The colonel with the hazel-green eyes and the messy dark-brown hair pushed himself away from the wall, bending forward and bracing his hands on the top of the desk to look at Robert, and his eyes seemed to look straight into his soul when he opened his mouth to speak.

“I've read your file, Major Lewy, and I must say that I'm impressed with you – something that doesn't happen oftentimes. I was hesitant at first when the general proposed your transfer a couple of weeks ago, but you proved my doubts to be ungrounded. Your natural ATA-gene is one of the reasons why General O'Neill talked to me about you in the first place, but I would never welcome a new member of our expedition team just because of the gene.”

“My gene?” Robert frowned. He hadn't known anything about possessing a special gene, and he really didn't know what the older officer was talking about.

“Yes, your strong natural ATA-gene. They found out about it after the incident – when they checked you for permanent damage.”

Robert flinched violently, he really didn't want to be reminded of that 'incident', how the colonel had put it. “Pardon me, but what is the ATA-gene?” he asked hoarsely. “Has it something to do with... _them_?”

The other man shook his head. “No, it hasn't. The ATA-gene is the gene of the Ancients. You're one of their direct descendants, your gene is the strongest next to the one General O'Neill has, my own gene, Major Lorne's gene and the gene of only very few other people.”

Robert stared at the colonel with his mouth hanging open. He knew about the Ancients of course – not as much as he knew about the Goa'ulds – but enough to feel shocked and stunned into silence. He had actually never thought about the strange fact that he could use and operate the technology of the Ancients they found on other planets while other teams couldn't do that, he had just thought that it was a lucky coincidence.

“And what does it mean that I have this gene, sir?” he mumbled, and the colonel smiled at him. “As I said before – that you're one of their direct descendants, Major Lewy. But that wouldn't have been reason enough for me to come here and talk to you personally. General O'Neill gave me your file to read, and I agree with him that you deserve the chance to prove yourself much better than you were able to do here in Cheyenne Mountain.”

“My file?” Robert narrowed his eyes in mistrust. He didn't know his file, but he could imagine its contents – especially the notes about the 'incident' and his continued disobedience. Ever since then, people regarded him with mistrust and contempt – sometimes hidden, but often enough with open disgust. Mr. Arrow was the only one who didn't treat him any different since he had returned from this mission.

“Yes, your file, Major Lewy. I was never good at dealing with apple-shiners, I need men who are willing use their minds if the situation demands it.”

“I see,” Robert murmured, feeling confused. “So you really want to tell me that the countless notes about my unruly behavior and my disobedience are the recommendation you were looking for in my file?”

“Sort of.” The hazel-eyed colonel smiled his unique crooked smile, and Robert felt his heart beat faster. Could it really be that...?

“General Landry and Mr. Ballerman are determined to throw you out of the Stargate program, Major. They will send you to an abandoned outpost where you will die of boredom if you don't kill yourself beforehand. Staying in Cheyenne Mountain is not an option any longer, but if you agree to my offer, then I promise you that you'll never have to deal with them. General O'Neill is in charge of our expedition, and his word counts more than General Landry's.”

Robert's mouth was dry, and he had to clear his throat twice before he could croak out: “Your expedition, Colonel? You really want to say that I...”

“Yes, exactly, Major,” Colonel John Sheppard said, smiling at Robert. “Would you like to come to Atlantis with me?”

Robert saw Sheppard's lips moving, and he heard noises coming out of his mouth, but he was sure that it must be his ears playing tricks on him. It couldn't be that the most famous man in the entire USAF and the Stargate program had just asked him to join his Atlantis expedition. The chances to join this mission were lesser than winning the jackpot, and Robert squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head to clear his vision and his hearing, but Sheppard was still looking expectantly at him when Robert risked another glance.

“You want me to come to Atlantis with you? To the Pegasus Galaxy, sir?”

Sheppard nodded. His gaze wandering briefly to the sleeve of his uniform – the left one with the stain – and his hazel-green eyes sparkled with mischief when he looked back at Robert's face. “You would fit in there perfectly, I'm sure about that. What do you say, Major – are you ready to start the biggest adventure of your life?”

Robert swallowed hard, staring at Colonel Sheppard in disbelieving anticipation. Was he ready to do that? Was he really ready to leave Earth and his home galaxy to start a complete new life in another galaxy that was more than three million light years away from his home?


	2. Arriving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colonel Sheppard has asked Robert to join the Atlantis expedition. After his arrival, Robert is trying to settle in in the city of his ancestors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had finally some time to write the next chapter, I hope you will like it. <33

Two days later, Robert found himself sitting in a small room that served as a cafeteria in the Midway station, a plate filled with pea stew waiting to be emptied sitting in front of him.

Colonel Sheppard watched him poke around in the thick greenish puree with his spoon silently, nibbling at the slice of bread that had belonged to their lunch packet as well. Robert stared down at the freckled green mush. The darker spots swimming in the slimy pap were probably supposed to be some kind of sausage, and the young major couldn't help but wonder whether or not Wraith skin had the same color as the stew had. He'd rather never eat pea stew again if this was the case.

“It tastes better than it looks like, Major. You have barely touched anything over the last two days, you really need to eat something. And no, Wraith skin color is different from this stew.”

Robert blushed, looking up from his plate to meet Sheppard's calm gaze. “I know, but it's hard to eat when you're not hungry. I know that we have to stay here for two days because of the quarantine time, but it's hard, and I'm nervous as I have to admit. By the way, am I really that transparent and easy to read?” he asked, careful to keep his voice neutral.

The colonel with the messy dark hair and the astonishing hazel-green eyes grinned. “No, you're not easy to read, Major, don't worry. You're actually pretty good at keeping your thoughts to yourself. But I was thinking much the same when I had pea stew for lunch after meeting Wraith for the very first time. Wraith skin has indeed a greenish undertone when it comes to most Wraith, but there are Wraith with bluish or grayish skin as well. It will be hard for you to tell them apart at first, but you'll get better at it quickly when you're dealing with them on a regular basis. They are an amazing race, and the Wraith you'll meet in Atlantis are not a threat to you, you really don't need to feel nervous, Major Lewy. We're all looking forward to having you with us. None of them will ever harm you.”

Robert dipped his spoon into the thick mush, taking a cautious bite from the stew. Colonel Sheppard had been right, it tasted better than it looked like, and he filled his spoon again, knowing that he needed to preserve his strength for the forthcoming days and weeks.

“What about their ability to read minds? They are a telepathic species, aren't they?” Robert would rather not have a Wraith poking around in the dark abyss his mind was most of the time. There were things he really didn't want to share with anybody.

“No Wraith of the Second Alliance will read your thoughts without permission, Major Lewy. Besides, you'll sense it if a male Wraith tries to connect with your mind. Only Queens can do that without you knowing it, but our Queens won't try to do that either.”

“I see. There are two Queens belonging to the alliance, right?” Robert looked down at his plate in surprise, having eaten half of the stew without even noticing it.

“Yes, Lady Athena and Lady Artemis. Lady Artemis had to give up her body and bond with her Hive ten thousand years ago in order to survive, but Lady Rin shares her body with Lady Artemis, and she has the same abilities and powers as any Wraith Queen then. You will learn everything you need to know about your new home, I promise you. But you really needn't to learn everything important all at once, Major.”

“I just don't want to do anything stupid. I'm pretty good at pissing everybody off rather quickly – even if I'm actually trying to do the right thing.” Robert hadn't intended to be so open, but talking to Colonel Sheppard and admitting his worries to him was easier than he'd thought it to be, perhaps because the hazel-eyed colonel was a lot like Robert himself was.

Sheppard chuckled, but it was a friendly and understanding chuckle. “We're pretty much alike here. I've always been good at pissing everybody off quickly myself, so don't worry about that, Robert.” The colonel's voice was warm, and Robert looked up again, relaxing and smiling back at the older man when he saw the understanding in Sheppard's eyes.

“You can always come and talk to me, Major. I know how hard it is to adjust to a new place and settle in there, believe me. My door will always be open for you.”

Robert's smile was only a weak one, but it reached his eyes at least. “No offense please, but I was told that you're not really good at talking, Colonel.”

Sheppard chuckled again. “No offense taken. You're right, I'm not that good at talking – although I'm improving – but I'm good at listening. You can come and talk to me, and I will listen to you. Mitchell is the one of the two of us being good at talking, so he will do the talking part for me.” The older man became serious, and Robert could see the honesty in his eyes when he said:

“We're all really looking forward to having you with us in Atlantis, Robert. You'll get every help to settle in there you'll need. Plus, no one will look at you like you were used to other people looking at you in Cheyenne Mountain. Your past is your own business, and no one will ask you nosy questions about it.”

“If you say so, sir.” Robert had a hard time believing that, but he was willing to give it a try.

“Yes, I do,” Sheppard confirmed. He leaned back in his chair, the collar of his jacket exposing a deep red spot on his neck as he did so. Robert tried to look away when he realized what he'd been staring at rather impolitely, but the colonel didn't seem to mind. He just smiled with a shrug of his shoulders. “Humans cannot smell the changed scent of a Wraith's chosen consort, this mark is the visible sign of the mating bond between a Wraith mate and their consort. It warns every inhabitant of the Pegasus Galaxy not to harm the one wearing such a mark. Wraith are very territorial beings, and they are also very protective and fierce when it comes to their beloved ones.”

Robert blushed with embarrassment, because he'd just assumed that the red mark was nothing more than a simple hickey, placed there in the heat of passion, something people normally tried to hide – at least when they were Military. But Colonel Sheppard was apparently wearing his hickey with pride, not trying to hide it, and Robert wouldn't start his time in another galaxy by disrespecting the laws and cultures of this galaxy, especially not the laws and culture of their Wraith allies. If these red marks were a sign of the bond between Wraith and their human allies – something like the wedding band human couples on Earth wore with the same pride and confidence – than Robert would respect that.

“Sorry for staring, I didn't know about the meaning,” was all he said, and Sheppard smiled at him again. “I know, Major. As I said, you will learn everything you need to know, it will only take some time.”

Robert could only hope that Colonel Sheppard was right with that.

 

\-----------------------------------

 

Stepping through the wormhole to set foot in Atlantis actually wasn't any different from the many times Robert had already used a Stargate, and yet it felt strange and exciting like never before – even when it had been the first time Robert had traveled through space like that.

The gate-room in Atlantis was a rather large and empty room like Robert knew it from the Cheyenne Mountain complex, but the architecture of the city took Robert's breath away when his vision cleared, so different from the damaged outposts of the Ancients Robert knew from his home galaxy. He still hadn't fully processed that he was one of their descendants, possessing their special gene, and Robert looked around in awe, his fingers clenching around the straps of his bags hanging down from his shoulders.

“I'm pleased to see you back well and healthy, John.” The strange voice coming from somewhere in front of them made Robert snap back into reality again, and he instinctively stepped back when he saw two aliens approach them. Colonel Sheppard had shown him a few pictures of their allies, but these pictures hadn't done the Wraith any justice.

Nothing had prepared Robert for his first encounter with these amazing beings, and he gaped at the two males in stunned silence. The dark-haired major at least assumed that the two Wraith were males considering that Wraith and humans were closely related and had similar looks and features when it came to the two genders, and these ones didn't look like females to him, even though they had long hair.

They were tall and of slender shape under their heavy black coats, their measured motions of a natural beauty and grace that left Robert speechless. Long silvery hair cascaded over their shoulders down to their backs, and Robert's fingers twitched with the urge to touch the long strands and find out whether or not they were as soft as they looked like.

Their features were alien and unlike the features of any other race Robert had ever encountered, human and yet so different with their sensor slits, prominent hairless eye-ridges and delicacy, the greenish undertone of their pale skin not resembling the sickly green of the pea stew only the slightest.

Robert felt drawn to these aliens right from the start, and he couldn't wait to talk to them and get to know them better, wanting to learn everything about the Wraith they were willing to teach him.

“I'm happy to be back again too, believe me, my mate.” John's voice pulled Robert out of his rapturous staring, and the young major blinked to clear his dazed mind. Sheppard's hand came up to rest on Robert's shoulder as he gestured at the two Wraith stopping in front of them now.

“Todd, Commander Alexandros, this is our new expedition member Major Robert Lewy, he's come to join us in the future. Major, these are my mate Todd, the High Commander of our thirteen allied Hives, and Commander Alexandros, the mate and husband of my second-in-command Major Lorne.”

“Uhm, I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, High Commander T-Tod-d, Commander Alexa-andros...” Robert heard himself stammer, unsure if he was supposed to salute to them or to perhaps even bow before them.

Sheppard's mate put him out of his misery, reaching out to offer him his right hand. It was covered with a thick silken fingerless black glove, and Robert remembered what Colonel Sheppard had told him about the feeding organ in the palm of a Wraith's right hand.

The young major seized the proffered hand, shaking it carefully. “Welcome in the Pegasus Galaxy, Major Lewy. I hope that you'll find everything to your liking here. We always need good men and women in Atlantis, humans who want to live in peace with all living beings in this galaxy,” the impressive Wraith greeted him with this multi-toned voice, and Robert was proud of himself that he flinched only slightly when the other male bared razor-sharp translucent teeth to what must be the Wraith adaption of a human smile.

“Thank you, High Commander, I'm glad to be here,” Robert said, returning the smile, and he really meant what he'd said. Maybe this was the moment he had waited for all of the time without even knowing it, the young major couldn't know that at this point, but he was more than willing to find it out. Colonel Sheppard had offered him a place to live in when no one else had wanted to do that, and Robert was determined to make the best out of the chance he'd gotten so unexpectedly, proving to General Landry and the IOA that they had been wrong about him.

USAF Major Lewy wasn't one to give up easily, and Robert was really looking forward to exploring his new home and learn more about the fascinating city of his ancestors.

 

\---------------------------------

 

The first days were exhausting to say the least, but Robert gritted his teeth and ignored the throbbing pain behind his temples and the ache in his bones from all the new things he experienced for the first time.

Richard Woolsey had welcomed him as warmly as the Commanders Todd and Alexandros had done, and Robert was impressed against his will, realizing that not all members of the IOA were narrow-minded pigheads. Woolsey's mate Commander Germanus was truly a remarkable Wraith, and Alexandros' and Major Lorne's tiny daughter Felicitas was an adorable little baby girl with thick dark hair and astonishing blue eyes, their form resembling Wraith eyes, but their color was the same color as her human daddy called his own. Her features were almost fully Wraith with sensor slits and everything else that belonged to a proper Wraith, but her skin was pale and more rosy, and she giggled like only babies could giggle when Robert tickled her under her chin.

Felicitas was the star in Atlantis, adored, cherished and loved by humans and Wraith to the same extent. Colonel Sheppard had asked Robert to help his second with the paper work and his duties because the handsome major was still recovering from giving birth to his daughter, and Colonel Mitchell couldn't replace him completely and take his post as Sheppard's second without neglecting his own job.

Evan treated Robert without any prejudices, although he'd been part of one the SG-teams for longer than his superior and still had friends among these teams, friends who had surely warned Evan about the new major. But Evan was kind and friendly, never giving him strange looks, and Robert felt relaxed and comfortable in his presence. He listened to Evan's complaints about everyone wanting to babysit Felicitas with a smile, consoling him that his daughter would always know who her daddies were – no matter that an entire city was crazy about her and trying to get some quality time with the first baby of the Second Alliance.

“Dr. Beckett and Commander Iason say that she will grow up slower than human babies, so you will have enough time with your daughter, being able to watch her grow up, Evan,” he tried to console his new friend, and Evan sighed and smiled ruefully. “I know. It's just so hard to leave her. I know that she's in the best hands possible with Teyla, Jennifer and all the others, but you should be there when we're visiting Sandro's Hive. More than hundred crazy Wraith starting to act like lunatics the minute we set foot in the Dart bay. I'm lucky if I get to spend five minutes with her then. Even Sandro's second behaves this way. There is a list with volunteers wanting to get the honor of bottle-feeding her – and it's a very long list, believe me.”

Robert chuckled. “I can imagine. I only know few parents, but none of them has ever complained about having too many babysitters. You're having a rather luxurious problem here. By the way, I'd like to subscribe on that list myself.”

“I know, I know – and don't you dare, it's already long enough,” Evan grumbled with a reproachful glance, but he didn't look as if Robert's words had truly convinced or angered him in any way. Robert went back to work with an amused smile, and Evan did the same, murmuring to himself about people not understanding the seriousness of his frustration.

Robert spent time on board Todd's Hive as well, and he was grateful for Colonel Mitchell's support when he met Commander Raven for the first time, thinking that he had to be the most intimidating Wraith he'd encountered so far.

Commander Raven was strict and reserved where Alexandros was warm and almost cheerful and Commander Todd laid-back and relaxed, and Robert felt like a schoolboy standing before his teacher again, trying to ready himself for being told off for not having done his homework.

“He should spend some time with the IOA,” Robert whispered to the blue-eyed colonel when Raven finally strode back to his console after telling Robert his duties on board his Hive, and the colonel grinned at him. “He's not always like that, I can assure you. Did you know that Wraith can purr like cats? They are actually nothing more than giant kittens if you know how to handle them,” he snickered, blushing furiously and ducking his head when the voice of his mate sounded through to them, the tall Wraith not even bothering to turn his head to look at his cheeky consort.

“I've heard you, Cameron. I'll give you kitten when we're alone in our quarters tonight.”

“A Wraith's damn sensitive sense of hearing,” the older man murmured with a quick sidelong glance at his mate, careful not to be overheard this time. Robert suppressed a shudder that could be either a shiver of fear or delight – that was hard to tell. But he was pretty sure that Cameron had done this on purpose, knowing quite well that his mate would hear his words - because the colonel didn't look scared at the thought of being taught a lesson later. On the contrary, he was unconsciously rubbing his hands in anticipation, and the young major couldn't help but muse about what it would be like to be in love with a Wraith when he saw the look on Colonel Mitchell's face.

Robert had just been cleared off after another medical check when Major Drum entered the infirmary with two Wraith in tow a couple of days later, greeting Dr. Beckett with a smile and a firm handshake. Robert had met the other major only briefly so far, because the USAF officer responsible for the training of the new pilots had been on a short holiday with his mate when Robert had arrived, and Robert had to admit that he was curious to get to know him better.

Major Drum had come to Atlantis only a few months before Robert, but he was already a real part of the New Lanteans, and he looked happy and perfectly fine with two Wraith walking closely beside him – something Robert still had to get used to.

Dr. Beckett must have forgotten about him, and so Robert remained where he was, sitting on one of the examination beds.

“Erik, is it already about time again?” Carson asked the young man, and Robert noticed the look one of the two Wraith gifted the handsome young officer with.

“You know Albert, Carson. He's always waiting for too long – and this even though he knows that he won't harm me,” Erik said, smiling reassuringly at the Wraith walking closer to him. “We've talked about this before, Marciano. You know that there are too few people with the natural gene, I simply can't let Colonel Sheppard and Carson offer themselves too often.”

The Wraith sighed, but he smiled at his companion, a truly beautiful male Wraith with delicate features and magnificent long silver-blond hair reaching down to his waist. “Please don't take it the wrong way, Albert. You know that I value you highly as one of my best friends, I just can't help but growl at the mere thought of Erik offering himself for the feeding. It has nothing to do with you.”

“I know, Marciano. I'd feel the same way if Erik was my consort, believe me. I hope that we'll find a solution for the artificial gene soon,” the other Wraith said, and Robert cleared his throat, making four pairs of eyes focus on him.

“Excuse me, but what are you talking about? I happen to be a natural gene carrier, but no one has ever asked me to let a Wraith feed on me? I thought that this isn't possible without killing the human being fed on.”

Dr. Beckett opened his mouth, but it was Erik who sat down beside him, smiling at Robert with sparkling eyes. “Hello Major Lewy, I hope you have been able to settle in here since we last saw each other! Atlantis is a wonderful place to live in, you'll see that. And you're right – it wasn't possible to let Wraith feed on humans without the humans aging and dying in the process, but we've found a cure with Marciano's help...” he looked up at his mate with a tender smile. “...and now it is possible for the carrier of the natural ATA-gene to offer themselves for the feeding if they've gotten the injections. The vaccine doesn't work with the artificial gene yet, but we're positive that this is only a matter of time. And we haven't told you about that after your arrival because Colonel Sheppard didn't bring you here just to have another gene carrier being able to volunteer for the feeding. We're all glad that you came here, and we don't expect you to do that, Robert. You weren't supposed to know about it at all at this point, I'd thought that you'd already left when I came here.”

“My fault.” Carson smiled regretfully, and Robert could see that he was truly upset that Robert had been a witness of this scene. “How many times have you offered yourself, Carson?” Erik asked, observing the physician more closely.

The doctor rubbed his temples. “Too many times as it would seem, lad. But I couldn't let John do it again.”

“It's a good thing that I'm back then,” Erik said, opening his jacket. Robert swallowed, raising his hand. “I want to volunteer for the feeding. It's obvious that you need some time to regenerate in between, and I really want to help. Albert can feed on me if he want to.”

“That's a kind offer, but you really don't need to do that,” Erik and Carson objected at the same time.

“But I really want to do that,” Robert insisted, already rolling up his sleeve. “It's kind of you to be so considerate and leave the choice up to me, but if I'm part of this expedition, then I want to be a real part of it.”

Dr. Beckett hesitated, but he went over to one of the cabinets attached to the wall when Robert looked at him with a determined expression. “Fair enough, if that's what you truly want, Major. But you need to get all of the needed ten injections before you can offer yourself for the feeding, and there have to be two days in between them before it will be possible for a Wraith to feed on you without harming you.”

“Alright, I want to have the first injection now then,” Robert said, offering his arm to the doctor while watching Albert hesitantly placing his right hand against Erik's chest. It was an almost tender gesture, and Erik looked up at the beautiful Wraith with an encouraging smile. “You can do that Albert, you know that. I will get some rest afterwards, Marciano will see to that, don't worry.”

“You bet I will,” Marciano snarled, but he didn't look angry. “It's fine, my friend. Your hunger pains you, and I really can't stand seeing you in pain like that,” he then said to the other Wraith, and Albert drew in a shaky breath and pressed his hand harder against the human's sternum.

“Thank you, Erik,” he whispered, his voice raspy but still smooth and beautiful, closing his eyes with another shaky breath when he started to feed.

Robert didn't feel the needle stinging him when Carson injected the vaccine and cool liquid flowed into his arm, watching a Wraith feed on a human for the first time with both fascination and something akin to fear. Erik gasped out softly, but he didn't look as if he was feeling any pain, his features relaxed and a small smile playing around his lips.

It was the moment when Major Robert Lewy realized that he'd finally truly arrived in Atlantis, the city of his ancestors.


	3. The new Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert makes the acquaintance of a very special old 'lady', and he finally meets his new team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have so much fun with this story, and I couldn't resist including some more people you might know and appreciate, my dear friends! ;-)  
> You have three guesses who they are! :-D

“So, there are two more injections left before you can volunteer for the feeding,” Dr. Beckett stated as he walked over to throw the used syringe into the cleaner. Robert rolled his sleeve down and put his jacket back on again.

“How many more days do I have to wait after the last injection until Wraith can feed on me?” he asked, and the Scottish physician shook his head with a smile. “You're truly eager to offer yourself to our allies, aren't you, lad?”

“I want to be useful,” Robert defended himself, and Beckett's smile deepened. “You are useful, Robert, please don't you doubt that. Our new expedition members are always getting at least three or four weeks to settle in here if possible, and you're already doing much better after hardly more than two weeks than others are doing after two months. You'll get your chance to prove yourself sooner rather than later, I promise you.”

“I'm not good at sitting around doing nothing and waiting for something to happen,” Robert admitted, and Beckett chuckled. “You're not the only one saying that. I've been told that you're already doing much more than you're supposed to do – and this although I'd told you to take things slow because of the injections.”

“I'm good, I don't feel sick, dizzy or restless at night,” Robert objected, and he wasn't lying. He felt better than he'd felt in a rather long time, sleeping like a baby in his quarters in the City of the Ancients – opposite to the last months back on Earth when he'd hardly caught more than five hours of fitful sleep at night.

“I'm pleased to hear that, but you have to be careful nevertheless, lad. The injections are a lot to take for your immune system. Don't underestimate the effect they're having on it,” Dr. Beckett said, and the serious tone of his voice didn't allow any further protest.

“I'm taking things slow, Dr. Beckett, don't worry. I haven't been off world so far, and Master Marcos and Teyla refuse to train with me until you'll give them permission.”

“Very well, at least they are reasonable, then. Off you go, major, I'll see you the day after tomorrow for the next injection.” Dr. Beckett waved Robert off with another shake of his head, and Robert left the infirmary to go back Major Lorne's office and help John's XO with the paperwork.

The young major with the deep blue eyes really wanted to go off world any time soon, feeling restless and nervous not because of the injections but because he wasn't used to sitting behind a desk for eight hours. He didn't mind helping the older officer with the reports and the paperwork, and he was always happy when he could play with Felicitas when she visited her daddy during work with one of her countless devoted babysitters, but he'd signed up for the Stargate program to visit other planets and learn more about their alien neighbors - and not for sitting behind a desk and typing reports all of the time. Robert suppressed a sigh, entering the next transporter to go back to Evan and spend another four hours with writing mission reports of other teams. The monthly report to Earth was due, and Evan and Robert had to check every single report to avoid complications with the IOA.

“Ah, Major Lewy, I was just looking for you!” Colonel Sheppard jumped into the lift just before the door whooshed shut, grinning at Robert when he saw the mistrust in his eyes. “No more reports today, scout's honor,” he promised with a wink of his eye, looking carefree and mischievous like a small boy who wanted to pull a prank on his teacher.

Robert felt his lips curl into a smile, even though he was still a little bit mistrustful. “Promise?” he asked, and John rubbed his hands with a wide grin. “Promise. Carson allowed me to take you on a flight with a Jumper today. After your first flying lesson, you'll get to know your new team.”

Robert's heart made a flip, and he stared at his superior in disbelieving joy. “Really? No desk, no reports for the rest of the day?” he made sure, and John nodded his head with a laugh. “No desk, and no reports.”

“You're a life savior, sir!” Robert burst out, biting his lip when his bad conscience hit him. “I should help Major Lorne, it's too much work for one person,” he mumbled, but John patted his shoulder. “No worries here. Richard's assistant Andrew McLean and Mitchell volunteered to see to the mission reports being sent to Earth in time tonight, and Evan has the rest of the day off to spend time with his family. He told me that you have stayed longer over the last days to spare him, and you really deserve a reward for your great feat. I know how boring and frustrating it is to check hundreds of reports before we can send them to Earth, believe me. I'm so lucky that Evan doesn't mind doing that for me.” John rolled his eyes and blushed a little bit, but he winked at Robert again, and he didn't really look regretful about leaving the hated paperwork in Evan's skilled hands mostly.

The transporter opened before Robert even knew what was happening to him, and he followed the hazel-eyed colonel to the Jumper bay with his heart hammering in his throat and sweaty hands, feeling nervous and excited at the same time.

“Flying a Jumper is easy, Robert, there is no need to worry about your first flying hour at all, believe me,” Sheppard said when he turned around to him just in time to see Robert rubbing his palms against his BDUs to dry them, smiling understandingly at him. “If you say so, sir. It's been a long time since I've last been sitting in a pilot's seat, and I've never been allowed to come near a Dart Fighter or a Jumper when I was still in Cheyenne Mountain. General Landry didn't trust me with them.”

“Once a pilot, always a pilot. You can't forget how to fly. And Landry is an idiot. There are far too few skilled pilots in the Stargate program, and even less with the ATA-gene. Look, Luna likes you already. She is very picky when it comes to her pilots, she normally doesn't open for me when I bring somebody along she doesn't know or like. I always have to charm her before she's willing to play nice then. Her sisters are better to handle, but Luna is a very special lady.” Sheppard's voice sounded almost tender as he said that, and Robert swallowed, taking in the sight of the Jumper he'd only seen from the distance a few times until that day.

Sheppard was right, the small silvery spaceship lit up and opened its hatch at the rear when Sheppard and Robert approached it, a soft and friendly humming suddenly audible in Robert's mind.

The young major stopped before the opened hatch, cautiously reaching out to touch the shimmering metal of Luna's rear. It must be an alloy made of steel and naquadah, and it warmed under Robert's fingers, the humming in his head becoming louder. Robert stroked over Luna's hatch with rapt fascination, and he thought that he'd just fallen in love – if it was possible to fall in love with a ship, that is.

“You're a real beauty, Luna,” he said hoarsely, “I'd be honored if you allowed me to fly with you, and I promise you to be very careful with you. I've never flown one of your sisters beforehand, I hope that I won't harm you.”

Luna hummed approvingly, and Sheppard grinned when he saw the look on Robert's face. “As I said before – she likes you. Luna can be flown by others, but she's not happy whenever someone else than me, Evan, General O'Neill or Erik sits in her pilot's seat. She accepts Mitchell as the truly skilled pilot he is, and she likes him and knows that he loves her, but she knows that he has the artificial gene version. She likes Carson, but he's a much better physician than he'll ever be a pilot. You've obviously managed to be included in the very small circle of her favorite pilots right away.”

“I hope that I won't disappoint this beautiful lady here. She doesn't even know what kind of pilot I am,” Robert said, but Sheppard waved his worries away. “Luna is not only a very beautiful lady, but also a very old one. She knows a good pilot when she sees one, believe me. All you have to do is to allow her to connect with you. She reacts to your thoughts much better than to the controls.”

“I see. The humming – I've heard that before when I was alone in my quarters. Has that been Luna as well?” Robert asked as they entered the Jumper. Sheppard shook his head. “No, that was Atlantis. She reacts to you because she acknowledges you as a descendant of her builders. Try to listen to her the next time she tries to contact you. You have surely noticed that the water of your shower has always the right temperature and that the lights in your quarters are always as bright or dim as you prefer it, right?”

“Uhm, yes, I did. I'd already wondered about that.” Robert admitted, stopping in the bulkhead door to take in the sight of the cockpit.

“That's Atlantis. She wants you to feel at home. She can be very mean to those who piss her off,” Sheppard remarked dryly. “Some members of the IOA always complain about the either ice-cold or far too hot water of their showers, and they can't sleep properly because the lights simply wouldn't switch off... They demanded that Rodney would see to the malfunctions for the entire night, but the minute he left, it was the same again. Atlantis doesn't let herself be fooled. General Landry has once visited Atlantis, but he never did that again...”

“Atlantis, I'll be forever indebted to you!” Robert exclaimed, and he could almost hear the city snicker in his head. Maybe it was Luna or even both the city and the Jumper, Robert didn't really care about it. He only cared about Atlantis and Luna liking him, and the young major stroked over the back of the pilot seat. “I'd love to fly you, Luna, but you have to help me, I am really nervous because it's been so long since I've last flown any plane or spaceship.”

The lights on the console blinked happily, and a display appeared in the middle of the front screen when Robert sat down in the pilot's seat with shaky legs. Sheppard sat down beside him, pointing at the controls. “They are not so different from the controls of other space ships, and you won't need them any longer when you've learned to fly her by using her mental interface.”

Robert listened carefully to Sheppard's instructions, and only five minutes later, Luna spiraled herself up into the blue sky over Atlantis, leaving only a white stripe behind when she took off in the direction of the mainland with high speed and a very happy Robert on board.

 

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“Hello Robert! Sit down with us, we want to know everything about your first flight with a Jumper. Luna is a wonderful lady, isn't she?” Erik greeted Robert with a smile when he entered the cafeteria two hours later with shining eyes and a huge smiled plastered on his face. “Oh yes, she is! It was great to fly again after such a long time, and these Jumpers are really amazing vessels. So elegant and beautiful.” Robert still felt the adrenaline coursing through his veins after his first flight ever with a Puddle Jumper.

Sheppard had praised him and promised him another flying lesson on the next day before heading back to his own duties after telling him that his new team was already waiting for him in the cafeteria. Robert was nervous to meet them, fearing that they'd been told some of the stories about him that had followed him from Earth to Atlantis.

He sat down opposite the younger major, greeting Erik's three companions with an almost shy nod and some murmured words. He hadn't met the two Marines and the male Wraith until now, but they smiled at him and didn't look as if they belonged to the few people in Atlantis listening to those mean stories and condemning him because of what they'd heard. Quite the opposite, they looked curious and as if they were happy to get a new team leader, waiting patiently for him to recover from his excitement about his first flight with a Jumper and calm down again. “Where is Marciano, by the way?” Robert asked after sipping from his coffee to buy himself some time before he had to talk to his new teammates, and Erik rolled his eyes in faked annoyance.

“You have three guesses, Robert.”

“In the lab with Albert.” Robert tried, but Erik shook his head. “Nope.”

“In the lab with Rodney.” Dr. McKay was known for forgetting time when he was working.

“No, thank God, even though I almost wished he was.”

“Oops. Night-shift on Commander Raven's bridge.”

“Yep. Which means that I have to sleep alone tonight – again! It's the third night-shift in a row. I know why he's doing that, but still,” Erik whined theatrically, but Robert knew that the younger major with the beautiful hazel-green eyes wasn't really angry about Marciano's shift, but actually proud of his beloved mate. It really meant the world to Marciano that his brethren from the Second Alliance accepted him the way he was, and Erik would never really complain about Marciano's shifts on board High Commander Todd's flagship knowing how happy it made his beloved Wraith when Commander Raven asked him to serve under his command on the bridge.

“So there's no giant purring kitten sleeping next to you tonight,” he teased his friend, remembering what Colonel Mitchell had said about Wraith resembling big purring cats if one knew how to handle them.

Erik scowled at him, but his eyes sparkled with suppressed laughter. “You'll stop teasing me when you find your own Wraith, Lewy,” he said, turning his attention to the two Marines and the Wraith listening to their teasing curiously.

“Colonel Sheppard asked me to introduce your new team to you, Robert. These are Lt. Manuel Newman and Lt. Jakub Blaszcyk. Their former team leader decided to go back to Earth shortly before you came here.” Erik's slightly mocking voice implied that said former team leader hadn't been missed at all since he'd gone back to Earth.

Robert regarded the two Marines more closely, and he was pleased that they returned his gaze openly. Lt. Newman was tall even when he was sitting, and he had boyish features, dark-blond hair and clear blue eyes, looking carefree and untroubled as he smiled at Robert. “Welcome in Atlantis, Major Lewy. It's the best place to live in – at least for those people who really count,” he added, and Robert liked Lt. Newman right at first sight. “Thank you, lieutenant, I'm really glad to be here and a part of your team.” Robert said, feeling himself relax gradually.

Lt. Blaszcyk was smaller than Lt. Newman and broadly built around his shoulders, and his eyes had a wary expression as he smiled at Robert, but Robert didn't really mind his cautiousness. “Hello, Lt. Blaszcyk.”

“Major Lewy, nice to meet you.” Blaszcyk's handshake was firm, and Robert thought that he was lucky to have the older man in his team. Jakub Blasczyk was a Marine down to his bones, Robert could see that right away, certainly the one covering the backs of his teammates and making sure that no one was left behind regardless of his own safety. Robert had met enough people who didn't care about their comrades in dangerous situations, wanting to save only their own asses then, but Lt. Newman and Lt. Blasczyk clearly didn't belong to them.

“Your team is SGA-9, Robert. Colonel Sheppard and High Commander Todd decided that every team should have a Wraith belonging to it as well, and Matteo here belongs to your team. He comes from Commander Kyrillos' Hive and is one of his best fighters and experienced when it comes to being a part of a SGA-team.”

Matteo was tall and impressive, with angular male features, but his hair didn't show the usual silver-white Robert knew from the other male Wraith, but was dark and curly, falling untamed over Matteo's broad shoulders. “Hello Matteo, I'm pleased to make your acquaintance,” Robert said confused, trying not to stare too obviously at his astonishing dark mane, and the Wraith chuckled, his multi-toned voice vibrating as he did so. “You're wondering about my hair,” he grinned. “You're right, all male Wraith have white hair, only our Queens have different hair colors. But we had a strange visitor in Atlantis for several months, a Wraith from another reality, and he wore his long hair dyed deep black, so some of us felt inspired to dye our hair in the future as well to differentiate us from the others a bit.”

Robert nodded slowly. “Ah yes, I remember having heard about this famous Wraith. His name was Sin, right?”

Matteo chuckled again. “Famous he was indeed, and yes, his name is Sin. I hope that he's fine wherever he is now.”

“I'm glad to have you in my team, Matteo,” Robert said, looking around. “All of you. I have some experience when it comes to off world missions, but the Pegasus Galaxy is different from the Milky Way Galaxy, and I'd appreciate your help at the beginning.”

Lt. Newman nodded sincerely. “We've been through the same, sir. Jakub and I have served in Cheyenne Mountain for two years, and we were happy when we could join the Atlantis expedition, believe me. But it was hard at the beginning, and we'll do our best to help you settle in here. Colonel Sheppard, Major Lorne and Erik value you highly, that's the best recommendation you can get here. What do you think about spending the evening with us so we can get to know each other better? There will be a barbecue on one of the piers tonight, it'll be fun.”

“I would love that! Will you be there too, Matteo?” Robert asked with a smile, leaning back in his chair. “Of course, Major Lewy. Jakub and I have a bet running about who of us is able to drink more vodka without getting drunk after all. Wraith normally can digest alcohol much better than humans, but he's proved a lot of my brethren wrong when it comes to that. It's my turn tonight to save their dignity and drink him under the table.” Matteo stated dryly, pulling an offended snort from his teammate.

“What are you dreaming of at night, Wraith? Manu, I hope that you're strong enough to carry this far too smug fool back to his quarters together with me when I'm done with him. Wraith bones are too heavy to carry them all alone without risking a bad back-ache!” Lt. Blasczyk rumbled, eyeing his new team leader from the side. “I hope that you will help me teaching this conceited Wraith a lesson, sir. We Poles must stick together when it comes to these things.”

“I'll do my very best. Do they have proper vodka here in Atlantis anyway?” Robert agreed with a grin, warmth pooling in his stomach, when the blond Pole winked at him. “Vodka and Scottish whisky, the real good stuff, don't worry.”

Robert nodded. “I've never tried to drink a Wraith under the table so far, but I'm willing to give it a try,” he said, earning a scowl from Matteo and a snicker from Erik - who was apparently enjoying himself as he watched Robert and his new team sniffing at each other for the first time.

Robert had to be careful because of the injections, but a few vodkas wouldn't do too much damage, and the older Pole's words were a clear message that the bulky lieutenant accepted him as his superior at least for now if Robert didn't fuck it up seriously. His new team members were obviously willing to give him a real chance and accept him as their new leader no matter what they might have heard about him, and Robert was looking forward to going on missions with Lt. Newman, Lt. Blasczyk and Matteo the Wraith, eager to explore his new home and learn more about their fascinating allies.

Going to Atlantis with Colonel Sheppard was the best thing that had happened to him in a very long time, and Robert was determined to make the best out of the chance he'd gotten, being far away enough from General Landry, the IOA and hopefully also far away enough from his past that was still haunting him in his memories and his dreams so badly.


End file.
